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Tales of courage and tales of loss emerge from Cooma fire

Lisa Cox, Kirrily Carberry

The Yarrabin bushfire burned close to properties on Mount Forest Road near Cooma on Tuesday. Photo: Jay Cronan

On Tuesday, as fire bore down on the town of Nimmitabel south of Cooma, Tom Webster and Peter Williamson had to make a decision: stay at a safe house or return to Mr Webster’s property Ederveen and try to defend it.

With nothing but an old Bedford truck and three water tanks, the two men drove through the storm, back to the 3000 acre Murray Grey stud on Kybeyan Road.

When they arrived about 5 pm, spot fires had surrounded the 30-year-old property.

NSW RFS crews were able to save most properties, but sadly at least one home was lost. Photo: Jay Cronan

Yarrabin Fire burning out of control near Cooma

“I had some of my belongings in there, but they were things that could be replaced – TV, radios.

“I got out with a few clothes.”

The pair spent the next several hours fighting the fire on the ground while choppers waterbombed the property from the air.

Mr Williamson said almost all of the 3000 acres of farmland was destroyed. But they managed to save the house.

While many stories emerging from the flames of Tuesday's fire around NSW are ones of properties narrowly saved, not everyone was so lucky.

A young family of five, who moved to Cooma six months ago looking for a new life have had everything destroyed.

Geoff and Nicole McKenzie have lost everything except the clothes on their back and what items they could squeeze into the boot of their car after the bush fire at Mount Forest Road destroyed their home on Tuesday, the Cooma-Monaro Express reports.

The family, Connor, 8, Tyler, 6, and Elizabeth, 2, had moved from Nowra to the 30 acre property about 20 minutes from Cooma on Mount Forest Road, Carlaminda six months ago.

"We were looking for a bit of space. A country change. Some peace and quiet," Mr and Mrs McKenzie said.

They had owned the property for just over a year. They had a shed, two caravans and a shipping container set up on the property and were planning to build a house there.

Now all that stands is an empty shell, ash and a generator that survived the blaze.

"We are gutted. It is not so much the shed. It's the possessions that we have lost.

"Like my great grandfather's war medals and Christmas presents the kids just got," Mr McKenzie said.

The family fled their home on Sunday afternoon when a bush fire started in the area.

Mr McKenzie said they could see the fire two properties away. When it was safe, at about 6pm, they packed the car with clothes and important documents, drove to town and stayed in a motel.

"We couldn't get out before that," Mr McKenzie said.

"When it cleared we got straight out.

"When they started the water bombing it became a bit more serious."

On Tuesday morning Mr and Mrs McKenzie drove to Pambula to drop the children their grandmother's house, while they went out to the fire and watch it from a neighbour's property.

"The wind was just crazy out there," Mr McKenzie said.

"It was swirling around."

With crews defending the property throughout the day, the couple decided to come into town about 5.30pm for dinner when it looked like their home would be safe. After dinner they received a call from a neighbour who told them the news.

"We went up there but couldn't see because of the smoke," Mr McKenzie said.

Mrs McKenzie said she was too upset to look.

"It was all gutted. All gone," Mr McKenzie said.

"We put all the more important stuff in the shipping container but it blew apart."

The couple went back to their property on Wednesday morning to have a closer look.

They described what was left as an "empty shell" and "ash".

"The odd thing is the generator out the back survived, out of everything," Mr McKenzie said.

"The hardest part is telling everyone. As soon as you try to say anything the tears swell up," Mrs McKenzie said.

Despite the loss, Mrs McKenzie said they still planned to build at the property.

"We will be back," she said.

For now, the family is staying at a motel and have been offered accommodation at the Cooma Martial Arts Centre by Sensei Jim McDonald.

There is a kitchen, laundry and bedrooms for the family to stay.

Sensei McDonald is also organising an appeal for the family, to help them get back on their feet.

Details are still being finalised but in the meantime Sensei McDonald said donations such as food were welcome. To make a donation call Sensei McDonald on 0419993449.